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Monday, August 10, 2015

Dear Readers, Sarah
Sundin is a favorite author of World War II novels. Her stories have won
numerous awards. Last year, when my book took third place in the Golden Scroll Awards, hers took second. This one looks like another winner.

Welcome back, Sarah. As
an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the
people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their
contributions?

So many! I have to start with my brainstorming buddies,
Marcy Weydemuller and Cathleen Armstrong, who helped me flesh out the plot,
especially the mystery component. Marcy is an experienced writing teacher and
editor, and she helped me greatly as I learned to write mysteries.

Also, my husband and our youngest son, Matthew, indulged me
as I tacked research on to our family vacation again. I stayed an extra week in
Boston, and
Matthew stayed with me. I assumed he stayed because he loves Boston
and history and wanted a chance to visit the National Archives in Boston with me, which was
a blast! On the trip, I found out the truth when he told my aunt, “I know what
Mom’s like when she’s researching. I’m here to make sure she doesn’t get lost.”
Ha! Nevertheless, I did feel better with a strapping teenage boy at my side!

If you teach or
speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I love teaching and speaking! I’ll be teaching a workshop on
historical research at the ACFW conference in Dallas in September. In October, I’m teaching
a workshop on character development for the Alameda Writers Group in Alameda, Calfornia. And
next March, I’ll be on the faculty at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers
Conference in California,
leading a fiction mentoring track and teaching a workshop called “No Missed
Deadlines”—about goal setting, calendars, charts, and organization. More
details are on the speaking page on my website.

If you had to
completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

With our nest emptying, my husband and I discuss this frequently.
Our oldest son has a great engineering job in southern California. Our daughter got married this
July, and she and her wonderful husband will be going to school in southern California. And our
“baby” (see “strapping teenage son” above) is graduating from high school this
year. So do we stay put in northern California
until the dust settles? Move to Oregon
as my husband has always dreamed? Go someplace else entirely? We shall see.

If you could only
tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Slow down, relax, and learn. Everyone is in a hurry to get
published. I was too, but that was before self-publishing became cheap, viable,
and respectable, so I had no choice but to wait. In retrospect, I’m glad I
didn’t have that choice. My rejection letter years forced me to keep learning
my craft, even when I thought I was already “there.” Those years also taught me
vital things about God and about myself—things I needed to know before I
entered the strange and challenging world of being a published author. So I
advise every aspiring novelist, whether seeking traditional publishing or
self-publishing, to take a deep breath, take your time, and learn as much as
you can about the writing craft, the publishing industry, and about publicity.

You’ve been asked to
be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why?
(AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])

Oh dear. I’m afraid I’ve never been a celebrity watcher. I’m
too skeptical of people who are lauded for superficial traits like beauty and
talent, and I truly admire those with strong character, who often work behind
the scenes unnoticed. If I held a cruise, it’d be for the volunteers, the
veterans, the exhausted moms and dads—those who put other people before
themselves. And they could just relax and be pampered.

Tell us about the
featured book.

In 1941, as America
teeters on the brink of World War II, Mary Stirling works at the Boston Navy
Yard and renews an old friendship with naval officer Ensign Jim Avery. Jim’s
destroyer escorts British convoys across the North
Atlantic, but problems on his ship point to a saboteur at the
shipyard. As Mary works to find the culprit and Jim battles U-boats, could
their friendship blossom into something more? Or could the dangers they face
keep them apart?

Please give us the
first page of the book.

Boston Navy Yard; Boston, Massachusetts

Tuesday, March 18,
1941

On a platform by the bow of the USS Ettinger, Mary Stirling
prepared supplies no one would notice unless they were missing.

While nautical pennants snapped in the sea breeze and the
band played “Anchors Aweigh” for the ship-launching ceremony, Mary set down a
box containing rags, a towel, a whisk broom, and a first aid kit. Then she nestled
a bottle of champagne in a silver bucket.

Something crinkled. Odd.

Mary picked up the bottle in its decorative tin shield that
prevented shattering. Yesterday, she’d tied red, white, and blue ribbon around
the neck. Now the ribbon didn’t lie flat, the bow was lopsided, and the foil
around the cork seemed loose and wrinkled, as if someone had taken it off and
replaced it.

Why? Scenarios zipped through her head, each more ludicrous
than the one before. “Too much Nancy Drew in junior high,” she muttered. And
too many spy and saboteur stories in the press lately. With the United States clinging to neutrality in the war
in Europe, tensions between isolationists and
interventionists had become sharper than the prow of the Ettinger.

Mary stroked the sleek red hull of the new destroyer,
towering above her. “Into the wild Atlantic
you go.”

“That is a bad year.”

Mary smiled at the French accent and faced her roommate and
co-worker at the Boston Navy Yard, Yvette Lafontaine. “I doubt the Ettinger
cares about the champagne’s vintage.”

“She should.” Yvette narrowed her golden-brown eyes at the
ship, then lit up and grasped Mary’s shoulders. “But you look très magnifique.”

Mary knew better than to argue. “Thank you for helping me
choose the hat. I love it.” The shape flattered her face, and the fawn color
blended with her brown hair and the heavy tweed coat she wore. It would also go
well with her spring coat—if winter ever ended.

Yvette fingered the puff of netting on the brim. “I still
prefer the red one.”

Dive into Sarah Sundin's explosive new series, Waves of Freedom, with book one, Through Waters Deep. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges–and dangers–await them in the midst of their budding romance.

Join Sarah in celebrating the release of Through Waters Deep by entering to win an Anchors Aweigh prize pack!

One grand prize winner will receive:

A copy of Through Waters Deep

A nautical tote bag

A set of compass rose notecards

A "Hope Anchors the Soul" journal

A Boston Tea Party earl grey tea set

A Through Waters Deep apron

A set of nautical tea towels

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 24th. The winner will be announced August 25th on Sarah's blog.

That looks wonderful. I know my readers will want to enter.

Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this new book with us. Many of my readers love World War II novels.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book on this blog. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

I have read all of Sarah Sundin's books and very much look forward to this one. My father served in the US Navy during WWII, so this book is of particular interest to me. Thanks for the opportunity!Missouri, USA

My father fought in WWII. I have found myself drawn more to stories about the war in recent years, particularly those written by Christian authors. Too many others feel they must toss in a helping of profanity and gratuitous sex, so I shy away from those authors. I would love to read this book.Edward A in VA

I've loved all of Sarah's books (I think there is still one I haven't read, besides this one). I can tell she does a lot of research to get her details right, which I really appreciate, especially in historical fiction. I'd be quite happy to win a copy of Through Waters Deep. Thanks for the chance and the interview.

You're books look and sound amazing, my sister has two or so of your books and she said she really enjoyed and them but I haven't the chance to read of them yet, but I would love too!!! Thanks for the amazing giveaway and God Bless!!!Sarah RichmondN.C.